Benthochromis sp. ?

[Adrian Indermaur]

Hy,

this is about a few specimens of Benthochromis that I found on Mpulungu fish market this summer.
I`m asking myself if these are female B. hori or even an other species of Benthochromis since I have never seen these black and white stripes before.

What do you think?


Thanks

[Mark Smith]

Hi Adrian, this is the true Benthochromis tricoti.

[Juan Artigas]

Mark,

I am not a specialist. Would you tell me how this fish would be different from Bentochromis tricoti non-breeding males?

Please advise

[Mark Smith]

I would assume, that just as in Benthochromis horii and B. melanoides, that female B. tricoti are plain silvery all over and without any vertical barring. Also, please remember that the Benthochromis in the hobby corresponds to B. horii and is not B. tricoti. Adrian's photos depict the true B. tricoti.

[Mark Smith]

Sorry - meant horizontal barring, not vertical barring.

[Juan Artigas]

Thanks Mark, could not be that the fish depicted are young males of Bentochromis tricoti captured in deep areas? Apparently young males stay at deeper layers where they feed, to raise later to less deep layers to breed, when they show a more elongated shape and longer fins. Could this possibly be the case?

[Mark Smith]

Not likely, as their phyiscal form and coloration is quite unique. Also, Takahashi indicated in his paper, Description of a new cichlid fish species of the genus Benthochromis (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika, that all three species live sympatrically offshore from Mutondwe Island, Zambia.